Charles Whitaker

WHITAKER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/20/2009 at 00:10:04

Charles Whitaker is a member of the firm of Whitaker & Dale, attorneys at law of Boone, He was born in Hamilton county, Iowa November 10, 1868. His father Charles Whitaker, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1820, and at the time of the Civil war he offered his services to the government and became colonel of the Twenty-eighth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers in that state. In 1866 he brought his family to Iowa, settling first in Boonesboro, but he later removed to Boone, where he engaged in the hardware business, and in the spring of 1868 took up his abode upon a farm in Hamilton county, which remained his place of residence until 1891. At the date he located in Ames, Iowa where he spent the residue of his days, passing away in December 1892. He was twice married, his first wife being Catherine Riptka, by whom he had seven children: Catherine, Judge J R , J M, Sarah, Amelia, Levina and Helen. The last two are now deceased. For his second wife the father wedded Margaret Hill, who died in Hamilton county in December 1880. By that union were born the following children, namely: Anna the wife of Theodore A Brown a photographer of Marshalltown, Iowa, Margaret the wife of Wilbra Coleman and attorney of Seattle, Washington, Charles of this review, John E a member of the Hanna Manufacturing Company of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Kenneth, Robert who is in the United States custom house in the Philippine islands, and Guy who is first sergeant in the Twenty-eighth Regiment of Regulars in the Philippines.
To the district school system of Hamilton county, Iowa Charles Whitaker of this review is indebted for the early educational privileges which he received. He manifested special aptitude in his studies and at the age of seventeen began teaching, following that profession through the winter months, while in the summers arson he worked upon the home farm,. IN 1891 he entered Ames College, where he remained for a year and then took up the study of law under the direction of Judge Stevens, of Ames in 1893. IN January 1895 he was admitted to the bar and began practice at Ames. He was also a practitioner in Nevada, Iowa, until 1899, when he entered into partnership with Robert F Dale of Boone, and his connection has since been maintained.
On January 28, 1895 Mr Whitaker was untied in marriage to Bede Miller, who was born September 8, 1876, and is a daughter of J C Miller, in whose family were eight children: Ellen the wife of James Blaine, of Polk City, Iowa , Lina the wife of Allen Steward, a contactor of Boone, Anna now deceased, Robert G who is teacher in Hampton, Iowa P G who is a carpenter of Devils Lake, North Dakota, John who makes his home in Polk City, Iowa Etta, the wife of D F Scholl, who is now in the Klondike and Mrs Whitaker. By their marriage our subject and his wife have one child, Charles born September 28, 1899. The father holds membership in the Episcopal church, the mother in the Congregational church. In politics Mr Whitaker is a Democrat, and has frequently served as a delegate to county conventions, but has never sought or desired office, preferring to devote his attention to his business and professional duties. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He now occupies a leading position in the ranks of the legal practitioners of Boone county. His life has been one of untiring activity and has been crowned with a gratifying degree of success, yet he is not less esteemed as a citizen than as a lawyer, and his kindly impulses and his charming cordiality of manner have rendered him exceedingly popular among all classes.

1902 Boone County History Book